[Harp-L] Gene's Tune-Butterfield Live

[Cljdm@xxxxxxx]

Hi all,

     First of all I must say I have been listening to "The Butterfield Blues 
Band / Live" 2004 Warner / Electra re-issue for over a year now. I can't say 
enough about this live recording. I feel it captures Butterfield at his best 
vocally, as a harp player, and as a band leader. I never got the privilage to 
see Butter live, but this is pretty close.        

    The double CD has a lifetime of lessons to it. "Number Nine" is a 
locomotion of a instruemental played ensemblically by the band, and for my money 
ranks up their with the best of any jazz or blues recordings EVER recorded. But 
it's "Gene's Tune", another intruemental that really speaks to me as a true 
masterpiece of  musical styling of any kind. Butterfield  hits and releases his 
bends on the first four holes seemingly effortlessly. He is 1) true to pitch 2) 
seamless 3) very inventive 4) is saying somthing with every phrase he dreams 
up. Unbeleivable mastery!  I guess I am stating the obvious, but this tune just 
blows me away every time I listen to it. A world of ideas right in front of 
me in this tune. What he does with the 4 hole bend is alone worth a listen. His 
precision is amazing. I know this is not news, but I just felt like carrying 
on. Paul Butterfield left us much too early, but on this night he was 
immortalized by this recording. The band had a magical night on March 1970 at the 
Troubadour in L.A. They were cooking with Butter.


                                  Peace,
                                     Chris Mastakas